A New Look for V.I.P. C.H.I.C.

In the fall of 2009 V.I.P. C.H.I.C. was simply an idea, but by the following spring we went live! Since then we have been able to donate to several Arc chapters, participated in buddy walks, had a private tour of Morgans Wonderland, and even created a video public service announcement with the Arc of Texas! All of these things have exceeded my expectations for V.I.P. C.H.I.C. , and now I want to extend V.I.P. C.H.I.C.'s reach even further! One of the first steps to my plan, was to give V.I.P. C.H.I.C.'s website a a facelift, and I am happy to announce that this has been completed! Not only has the website layout and colors been changed, but there are many new features as well! I don't want to spoil the surprise so go check it out for yourself! And Don't forget to sign my guest book!

www.sydneydatcher.com 

Be V.I.P. C.H.I.C.,

Sydney

Autumn Is Here People!

Summer has officially come to a close and we will soon be trading in the swimsuits for sweaters and scarves. Keeping warm during the holiday season is a priority, especially here in Connecticut. Well, the Arc of Farmington Valley (Favarh) has your solution to staying warm, while cutting back on your electricity, all while supporting those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Favarh is an Arc chapter in my area, that provides not only services, but job opportunities for people with "different-abilities". This particular winter program has members cutting and bundling wood to sell at local grocery stores and gas stations. The bundles are sold for $6 each, or $4 each depending on how much a store buys. In years past they have sold close to 10,000 bundles! This is an incredible program that benefits everyone involved. I love seeing organizations that allow these individuals to be active in the community and that help them be productive members of the society. It is because of special programs like this that give me hope for jobs for my sister, Simone, and those like her. Please support Favarh, by purchasing bundles of wood.    http://favarh.org

Stay Warm,

Sydney

April is Over, Awareness is Raised , Time for Action!

 As I promote my platform V.I.P.  C.H.I.C. ( Very Influential People Creating Hope for the Intellectually Challenged)  throughout my year of reign,  I will be advocating for individuals and their families who are differently-abled.   Since April was National Autism Awareness month, I can’t think of a better topic to cover in my first official blog than Autism. 

Autism is a general term used to describe a group of complex developmental brain disorders. Autism spectrum disorders are caused by combination of genes and environmental influences.  Did you know that 1 in 88 children (1out of every 54 boys) will be diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)? That’s one child every 11 minutes. In the last 6 years the prevalence of autism has increased by 78 percent. This diagnosis is largely due to the increased awareness of the disorder and early testing.  Children one year old or younger can show signs of autism. Research shows that the early diagnosis and intervention, yields the greatest hope for treatment. The single most important thing you can do as a parent or caregiver is to learn the signs of autism as well as understand the typical developmental milestones your child should be reaching at different ages.  Signs and symptoms to look for are:

·         No big smiles or other warm, joyful expression by 6 months, or thereafter

·         No back and forth sharing of sounds, smiles or other facial expressions by 9 months, or thereafter.

·         No babbling by 12 months

·         No back and forth gestures, such as pointing, reaching or waving by 12 months

·         No words by 16 months

·         No two word phrases (without imitating or repeating) by 24 months

·         Any loss of speech, babbling, or social skills at any age.

 

If you have any concerns, speak to your doctor about screening your child for autism. You can also find more information regarding autism at www.AutismSpeaks.org.  Autism Speaks is dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism.  So, now you know some of the signs of Autism, I bet you would be surprised and encouraged to know that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Hans Christian Anderson, Lewis Carroll, Thomas Jefferson, Albert Einstein and Bill Gates are all alleged autistic!

Miss Texas International 2013!

Hello Everyone!

I don't want to keep any of you in suspense's any longer... So I am proud to announce that I am the new Miss Texas International 2013! It seems like just yesterday I was crowned Miss Teen Texas International 2010! I am so excited to continue to promote my platform and organization V.I.P. C.H.I.C. with this new title and can't wait for what this year has in store for me! I just want to thank all of you who supported me and helped me get to the Miss Texas stage! I really appreciate each and everyone of you. I will now be competing in Chicago for the title of Miss International 2013 in July. I also want to congratulate the new Miss Teen Texas International Kylie Boyd and Mrs. Texas International Michelle Berndt!  Pictures to come soon!